What to do when you find a snake at home

Cory Kerewaro gets called regularly to different parts of the Illawarra, including attending to a highly venomous though “very shy” red bellied black snake in Mangerton during torrential rain last week.

The most common call-outs are for the red bellies and the less dangerous golden crown snake which is often mistaken for their black skinned friend.

“In spring time they’re waking up from their winter sleep and looking for a mate and for food,” Mr Kerewaro told the Mercury. “They will bunker down for a day or so but move along.”

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He said the biggest myths were a snake will chase you or they get into chicken pens for their eggs.

Mr Kerewaro said a snake will only attack if it’s scared or being attacked itself, while they don’t eat eggs but they do feast on mice and rats often attracted to a chicken coop.

Common places they are found are in people’s backyards, garages and toilets.

Although they other week Mr Kerewaro was called to a home with a suspected stow away poking his head out of a toilet bowl, however it turned out to be a false alarm.

“I told the lady she needed a plumber not a snake catcher,” he said.

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Illawarra Mercury